Windshield clamp



April 30, 1929. F. B. HERRIOT WNDSHTELD CLAMP Filed March 14, 1927Patented Apr. 30, 1929.

UNITED STATES FREDERICK B. HERRIOT, F MYRTLE BEACH, CONNECTICUT.

WINDSHIELD CLAMP.

Application filed March 1.4, 1927.

This invention relates to adjustable Windshields for automobiles,particularly to a means for mounting a movable section of this shield sothatit may be adjusted, and to improved moans for clamping the shield inadjusted positions.

lt is an object of the invention to provide an improved support andadjustable clamp for the movable section of a shield which will lirmlyclamp the shield in adjusted positions, but may be easily and quicklyoperated to either release or fasten the clamp.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a clamp which willcause no strain on the glass of the shield, and particularly one inwhich the clamping strain is longitudinally of the support for the glassso that there will be no lateral strain on the frame which might breakthe glass.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised theconstruction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part ofthis specification. In this drawn 111 41iig. 1 is an elevation of aWindshield showing my improved clamp applied, the vievv being that fromthe drivers position.

Fig. 2 is a partial elevation and partial section of the clamp operatingmechanism.

Fig. 3 is a section thereoiE substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of one of the bearing blocks for the clampoperating mechanism. i

Fig. 5 is a section of the frame at one end showing the clamp inelevation. j

Fig. 6 is a transverse section thereof substantially on line 6-6 of Fig.5.

Fig. 7 is a similar section substantially on line 7-7 of Fi 5. j

Fig. 8 is a p an view of one of the clamping members.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the Wedge for operating the clamp.

Fig. 11 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 12 is a section similar to Fig. 5 shoW- ing a slightly differentway of mounting the clamping elements especially as applied to theshield support for closed cars, and

Fig. 13 is a section substantially on line l3-15 of Fig. 12.

In the drawing as shown in Fig. 1, the 'front shield is shown somewhatdiagrammatically but involves the usual upright supports 12 at theoppositesides in which the Serial No. 175,410.

windshield is mounted comprising usuallv the lower section 13 anc theupper section I4 oi glass. The upper of these sections is mmlnted foradjustment to permit ventilation, and it is mounted to swingabout itsupper edge. The glass 14 is mounted in a frame 15 usually ot' sheetmetal shaped` to provide a groove in which the edges and ends of theglass are inserted, and the upper horizontal member 16 is of a tubularconstruction, as shown in Fig. 6, provided with downwardly extendingside members 17 bent upon themselves to form a groove to receive theedge of the glass.

The clamps for holding the shield in adjusted positions are located atthe opposite ends of the upper tubular member 16 and are shown moreclearly in Figs. 5 to 11. The clamp proper is mounted within the tubularmem ier, and in order to strengthen the tubular member I preferablyinsert in each` end of the member 16 a tubular section 18 which may besweated or ,otherwise secured in position, and provides means forpreventing spreading of' the tubular member 16 by the action oi theclamping elements. The clamp is composed of tvvo` members 19 whichtogether' are substantially cylindrical and are rigidly mounted in theend member 2O forming a support, which may be an angle iron secured inthe tubular upright supports 12, and the clamping members 19 are rigidlysecured to this angle member. The clamps may havea square end 21 in thesame sized square opening in the member 20, and they may be Welded,soldered or otherwise secured in this member. The square sectionin thesquare hole will, of course, hold the clamping elements againstrotationin the member 20.

Each of the clamping elements is provided y with a transverse groove 24having an inclined cam surface 25 at the bottom thereof, and when theyare placed in position these grooves are opposed to each other and theyreceive the tapered head 26 of the clamp operating member. The head ofthis member preferably extends in op osite directions from the shank 27and is su `stantially Wedge shape to provide inclined surfaces 28 onopposite sides thereof adapted to engage the inclined surfaces 25 of theclamping elements. These elements also `have on their opposed faceslongitudinal grooves 29 to receive the shank 27 of the operating member.

Means for operating the clamp to tighten iii) or release the same may belocated anywhere between the opposite ends et the upper tubular member16. In the drawing I have shown it at substantially the center ot thismember where it is easily accessible for operation by the driver, but itsome other location is more convenient as one more nearly directly infront ot the driver, it can be easily mounted in that position. For thepurpose ot mounting this operating means the tubular member 1G isnotched, as shown at 30. Mounted Within the tubular member on oppositesides of this not-ch are bearing blocks 31 in transverse sectionsubstantially the shape shown in Fig. 4.-, and they eaeh have alongitudinal bearing 32 tor a rotatable member 33 which is tapped tromits opposite ends with right and lett hand threads Sil and 35 forthreaded engageinent with the threaded ends 36 and 37 of the shanks Q7ot the clamp operating members. The two bearing bloeks may be securedagainst movement in the tubular member" 16 by transverse srrews 3S.There is a suitable rightangle drive for the rotatable member 32' Asshown in the drawing it comprises a worm gear 39 mounted on and securedto the member 33 by any suitable means, such as a pin 41:0, and thisworm gear meshes with a worm 411 on a transversely extendinfT shatt 42.I am not, however, limited to this speeifie drive as I may use spiralgears, helical gears and the like. This shaft is mounted to rotate inbearings in a. pair ot members eti-3 and etal. adapted to be clamped onopposite sides o1 the tubular member 1G by means of the screws 38.Additional screws 45 may be used to Clamp the upper part ot the Jrontclamp 13 to the bearing blocks and the tubular elenient. The shatt 4:2and the worm carried thereby may be rot-ated by a knurled hand knob 46secured to the shaft by any suitable means, sneh as a pin 47.

This operating means may be assembled by inserting the bearing blocks 31trom the ends ot' the tubular member 16 together with the rotatablemember 33 and the worm gear 39. then brought into alignment with thenotch 30 the worm 41 may be placed in mesh with the gear and the twosupporting members 4 3 and dei applied as described above to hold theworm and its operating shaft in position.

It Will be obvious that by rotating the hand knob t6 in one direction itwill rotate the worm gear 39 and the member 33. The right and left handthreaded connections ot this member with the Shanks 27 will shitt thesemembers longitudinally ot the member 16 either toward eaeh other oroutwardly away from eaeh other. Ward each other they will slide thetapered heads 26 on the inclined walls ot the elsamping eleinents19.This action will separate these element-s securely clamping their outercurved surfaces against the inner sur- It they are drawn totace ot thetubular member 1B. It will thus be apparent that as the clampingelements 19 are held against rotation this action will firmly lock thetrame oit the shield and the shield carried thereby against movement'.Rotation ot the hand knob in the opposite direc tion will more thetapered heads E2G outwardly and release the clamping elements allowingthe shield to be swung to any desired position in which it may again beclamped by turning the hand knob. It preferred that the clampingelements be provided with a transverse groove et@ to make them moreilexible at this peint so that the inner ends may be .more easilyoperated in the clamping action.

In the form shown in Figs. 12 and 13 the clamping elements 19 may beinserted in a ring L18, either round, square or other shape seated iin asimilarly shaped opening `or recess in the trame member 49. The ring maybe soldered, sweated or pinned in position as by a pin 50. The clampingelements maybe held against turning by means of a pin 51.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the clamp isVery simple in -onstruetion and may be easily and quickly operated toeither release the adjustable section ot the shield or to tightly clampit in adjusted position. It is especially `to be noted that all et thestrain or pull in o eratngthe Clamp is directly in the axis ot t iepivot lbar 16 and is also entirely longitudinally thereof', so thatthere is no cramping action en the 'trameor glass to break it or causeit to be broken from wind strains.

Having thus set fort-h the nature of my invention, what I ela-im is:

1. In a windshield mount, a trame for the shield including a tubularmember, means at eaeh end of the tubular member to ela-"mp the shield inadjusted position, means within the tubular member and movablelongitudinally thereof for operatinflr the Clamping means, said tubularmemberlliaving an opening intermediate the ends thereof, a rotatablemember mounted in the tube at said opening and having threadedconnection with' said longitudinally movable means, a bearing memberclamped to the tubular member, a rotatable driving member Carried by theVbearing member and extending transversely of the tube, a drivingconnection between the rotatable member and the driving member, and amanual means for operating the driving member.

In a vimlshield mount, a support, a trame for the shield including atubulaimember pivoted at its opposite ends on the support, elan'ipingmeans at said end to hold the member against turning, means Within andmovable longitudinally oit the tubular member for operating the clampingmeans, a rotatable element intern'ietfliate the ends of said memberhaving right and left hand threaded engagement with said operatingmeans, a worm Wheel connected to said r0- tatable member, a Worm meshingwith said Wheel, and a manual means for operating said worm to lock andrelease the clamping means.

3. In a Windshield mount, a support, a frame for the Shield including atubular member, pivot means for the opposite ends of said memberincluding at each end a pair of clamping elements secured to the supportand extending into the tubular member, said elements having opposedoppositely inclined surfaces on their adjacent sides, an operatingmember having a substantially wed e shaped head between said surfacesand a apted by longitudinal movement to cooperate therewith to separatesaid elements and clamp them against the tubular member, said operatingmembers each having a threaded shank extending, longitudinally withinthe tubular member, a rotatable member between said Shanks and havingthreaded engagement therewith, and manual means for rotating said memberto operate the clamping llIeaUS.

In testimony whereof I aiix my si nature.

FREDERICK B. HER IOT.

